One thing I have learned in two years of sobriety is that the disease model of addiction doesn't excuse my behavior in the eyes of others.
It's dealing with the ramifications of my addiction as it affects family and others that the steps of AA addresses.
It's hard. Steps 8 and 9 -- making a list of those we had harmed and actually making amends to them -- is the most difficult aspect of the program.
Recovery is a hard road if you want to actually get to the "recovered" part of sobriety.